


I will not die (I’m waiting for you)

by Deeambles



Series: Man is such a fool (why are we saving him?) [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fourth Shinobi War, GedoMazou!Hashirama, Gen, Kinda, Not Canon Compliant, hashirama is also kinda part of that sunshine team, honorable mentions of the sunshine team aka naruto and minato
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 10:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18342197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deeambles/pseuds/Deeambles
Summary: When Tobirama first sees the Gedo Mazou he categorizes it as an unfortunate turn of events and not so unlike the hideous fish statue that Madara once had in his kitchen.It comes as no surprise to Tobirama that the man has kept his horrendous taste through death.





	I will not die (I’m waiting for you)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [goddcoward](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddcoward/gifts).



> general warning for Madara being an opportunistic dick (the usual), and someone (Tobirama) getting himself stuck in a genjutsu.

When Tobirama first sees the Gedo Mazou he categorizes it has an unfortunate turn of events and not so unlike the hideous fish statue that Madara once had in his kitchen. 

It comes as no surprise to Tobirama that the man has kept his horrendous taste through death. 

He does his best to make sure that boy, Naruto, keeps his head on his shoulders. He gives very pointed looks toward Hiruzen on the mess that is apparently one Uchiha Sasuke. For someone who knew Madara, even peripherally, Saru should have done better to make sure Sasuke didn’t go down a path of vengeance. 

Not that Tobirama thinks Sasuke is Madara per say, but that he isn’t up there on the hideous statue with the other two Uchiha definitely isn’t because Hiruzen did anything to stop it. 

The statue in question really is ugly. 9 eyes, two wrinkly arms and a torso that’s semi humanoid if said human never ate more than crackers and smoked tobacco every day. 

Disgusting, Tobirama thinks, in a fascinating sort of way. 

The battle is at a standstill of some sort. Obito is humoring Naruto’s peace talk, or talk-no-jutsu, he thinks he heard Kakashi say. It reminds him fondly of Hashirama, who may have been born and bred in the warring era but never failed to see the best in everyone. 

His eyes drag back from Naruto to the statue. 

If he couldn’t feel it’s ever thrumming life force, Tobirama would say it’s decaying. A husk if anything. In fact, that might be exactly what it is.

He can feel the beasts that have already been crushed inside. Their chakra shoves at the walls that hold them, but the statue doesn’t even seem to notice the turmoil inside it. This close to Naruto he can feel the nine-tails, Kurama, he silently corrects himself, shift in impatience. 

He must feel them too. His siblings. It makes Tobirama think of his own. 

Itama would be sad he thinks, he always had a heart for those in the losing position. Baby birds who fell out of nests, rabbits caught by foxes, even the fish that got pulled out of the water when Tobirama practiced his suitons by the river. No, he wouldn’t like the tailed beasts sealed and used for human power. 

Kawarama would probably think it’s cool, even if he would feel guilty because Itama didn’t. Although that never did stop him from playing with fire. 

Hashirama was the one to go around sealing the beasts in the first place and always thought of the bigger picture. Although he felt bad, he’d always—

Would most likely— 

He’d—

Tobirama’s eyes snap up because underneath the thrashing of the bijuu’s chakra, underneath the Gedo mazou’s life force, is something else. Something he knows and— 

No

_No._

He takes two steps forward and the fourth Hokage, Minato, watches him, but Tobirama is desperately trying to believe his senses are wrong. 

 ~~His sense are never wrong~~. 

Madara didn’t. He wouldn’t 

 ~~He’s already put Hashirama’s face on his chest. He would~~. 

“Fuck”, Tobirama whispers. 

Madara, always knowing when Tobirama is suffering, catches his eyes, and lets his face creep into a grin. 

He mouths, “Yes” 

There’s nothing better in the world to subdue a beast than Mokuton. It supports almost anything and if wielded correctly is nearly indestructible. The kekkei genkai plagues only the Senju line and later its users become one with the earth they’ve wielded, literally.  

Hashirama left Konoha with a smile on his face and reassurances that he’d fine, and  _no written record ever said it would cause pain Tobira, I just have to leave, I don’t want anyone to get hurt, oh Tobirama won’t you forgive me? You’ll be such a good Hokage, I love you little brother_. 

This is not what he thought happened. It’s not what was supposed to happen, how could Hashirama his loving, supportive, older brother, become this thing that’s disgusting and withered and chained. 

Tobirama can feel himself freaking out because now that he’s sensed it, all he can feel under the acidic  _wrongness_  of the statue is  _warmearth-sunlight-newgrowth_ that he’s sure he’s been able to recognize since he was born. He can barely even feel the other bijuu’s chakra under the intense realization that Madara has turned his anija into this thing, or morphed him, or combined what he became and the thought is melting through is brain like poison and it  _burns_. 

Somewhere between Tobirama realizing and his intense denial ~~and acceptance~~ , Madara lands in front of him with the sort of grace that only Madara seems to be able to make look so god damn cocky.  

Tobirama can’t even manage to tear away his gaze from  ~~what’s left of his brother~~  the statue long enough to acknowledge him even though somewhere in his brain it acknowledges Minato grabbing Naruto and pulling him back, acknowledges the shinobi on the ground taking defense positions as one. 

Tobirama faintly feels a hand on his face,  _metal-ash-wildfire_  so so close to his own  _deepsea-smooth-ocean_  chakra.

Madara cups his face like a lover and a gloved thumb runs over his dyed face scars. 

Madara leans in, head bowing slightly to Tobirama’s bared neck where his gaze is still stuck upwards. 

“I’ve been waiting for you to open your eyes, Tobirama,” Madara whispers, _croons_ , and Tobirama can’t help but drop his gaze then, if only to stare out at nothing and everything all at once. The muffled feeling of Madara’s hair on his chin, and Madara’s breath on his neck is grounding as it’s ever been. 

“Don’t worry, Tobirama-kun, he was never in pain, I made sure. Although I have to thank him, he supports the degrading husk of the ten-tails so well, Tobirama. I know you must be in shock but I promise I’ve taken such good care of him, I saved him, don’t worry Tobirama” 

Madara pauses, lifting his head as Tobirama’s drops again and makes eye contact. Madara’s smile, not the deranged one, has always been breathe-taking to Tobirama and this close he can’t help but feel his breathe catch in his throat. All he can feel is Madara and that smile and Hashirama is  _right there_ , but Madara is  _here_  right now. 

“Don’t worry Tobirama, I’ll even save you.” Madara says and he’s still smiling. 

“Everyone is worthy, and soon even you can see your brother, don’t you want that Tobirama? Don’t you want to see Hashirama again? He’s here already, why don’t we go see him Tobirama.” 

Tobirama is numb and cold and is burning all at once because that’s not his brother but oh how it _is_. 

“How”, he mumbles, and for the first time he actually feels like he’s dead and not just because he’s animated. 

Madara lets his smile become softer,” let me show you.” 

Tobirama can faintly hear people yelling at him. He thinks it might be Saru or maybe the fourth or maybe even Naruto, he’s not sure. All he can focus on is Madara and not!Hashirama and everything else is muffled, unnecessary. 

The part of his brain that never stops thinking acknowledges there’s a genjutsu, a strong one, and Tobirama wants to think that’s what’s making him walk forward, what’s giving him sudden tunnel vision onto Madara. 

The other part thinks he’d probably have followed anyways. That Madara may be muffling his surroundings but Tobirama can do that fine on his own. 

He lets Madara pull him along and glances one more look up. 

The statue doesn’t look any different than before, but it shifts slightly, chains clanking against each other, body language changing. 

Tobirama blinks a few times to clear the fuzziness in his vision, it looks like Hashirama did when he was sad, and Tobirama can’t help but let himself grin because maybe it is his brother and maybe Madara is right. 

Maybe everything will be okay anyways 

His vision goes black.

**Author's Note:**

> goddcoward, casually, and mostly in passing: gedomazou!hashirama
> 
> Me, deeambles, who knows no restraint: noW HOLD ON
> 
> <3 <3


End file.
